Wednesday, July 22, 2009

SULTAN'S DELIGHT - HUNKAR BEGENDI

Authentic food from the Middle-East really attracts me to the highest point. The aromatic, deep, rich, elegant and refined Arab cuisine of this region of the world intrigues me as it reflects the mysterious, bountiful and exotic cultures that originated it...

As Claudia Roden's gorgeous cookbook "Arabesque" has ignited my interest for Middle-Eastern gastronomy, I now feel the urge to expand my cookery book collection in that direction. So when I came across the reviews of Greg Malouf's "Turquoise - A Chef's Travel In Turkey" on the net, I knew that I had to add it to my ongrowing (yet still frustratingly small) selection of cookbook.

My very thoughful boyfriend consulted my wishlist and decided to offer me this big book for my birthday (last Xmas). What a wonderful gift for a food lover like me! It might be quite expensive, but it sure is worth every penny spent!

Last week, I invited my good friend Corinne for lunch and as I know she is a food enthusiast as well as a Middle Eastern gastronomy admirer like me, I decided to treat her with a 100% Turkish menu based on three recipes taken from that fabulous "bible". I made a "Tomato Salad With Tarragon, Feta And Sumac Dressing", a dish called "Sultan's Delight" and some "Yogurt And Honey Sorbet" with "Cinnamon And Vanilla Flavored Apricot Compote". Both of us were delighted by the wonderful dishes that the Turkish cuisine offers and ate with much appetite!

"Sultan's Delight" is a delicate and luscious speciality consisting of a "Lamb Ragoût" which is served over a "Cheesy Eggplant Purrée". According to legend, this very dish was served to the Empress Eugénie de Montijo, wife of Napoléon III, Emperor of the French, on a visit to Istanbul in 1869. As the Sultan Abdülaziz I wanted to impress his guest, he had many of his favorite dishes prepared, including this one. Eugénie liked it so much that she sent her own French chef to the palace kitchens in order to get the recipe. Unfortunately, the Sultan's chef was reluctant to give away his secrets and said that "an imperial chef needs only his heart, his eyes and his nose". Anyway, this popular dish (one of the most important of the Turkish cuisine) would not be served in restaurants around Turkey or cooked in many home if the recipe hadn't been shared somewhere down the line...If you are still skeptical about that classic dish's amazing exquisitness, a mouthful it will be enough to convert you and make you understand why Eugénie fell in love with it or why the Sultan's chef was so protective when it came to sharing it with people outside of the palace! This spicy tomato and lamb stew pairs wonderfully well with the creamy and rich eggplant puree in order to create a unique as well as heavenly dish.~ Sultan's Delight ~Recipe by Greg Malouf "Turquoise: A Chef's Travel In Turkey" and adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums.

Method for the "Lamb Ragoût":1. Trim the lamb of any fat and sinew and cut into 3 cm cubes.2. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-based casserole dish over medium heat, then brown the lamb all over and remove from the pan.3. If necessary, add a little more butter to the pan, then add the onion, garlic and oregano and sweat over a low heat for about 5 minutes.4. Add the honey, then increase the heat and cook for another couple of minutes.5. Stir in the tomatoes, pepper paste, salt, pepper and stock, the bring to the boil. Stir well and return the lamb to the pan.6. Cover the pan, lower the heat and leave to slimmer very gently for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until the lamb is tender and the liquid has reduced to a thick sauce.Method for the "Eggplant Purée":7. Prick the eggplants all over with a fork and sit them directly on the naked flame of your stove top. Set the flame low-medium and cook for at least 15 minutes, turning constantly until the eggplants are charred all over and soft (see remarks).8. Remove from the flame and place on a small wire rack in a sealed container or plastic bag so the juices can drain off. Allow the eggplants to cool for about 10 minutes.9.When the eggplants are cool, gently peel away the skin from the flesh, taking care to remove every little bit or the purée will have a bitter burnt flavour.10. Put the eggplants into a bowl of acidulated water and leave for 5 minutes-this soaks away any lingering bits of burnt skin and turns the flesh pale and creamy.11. Drain the eggplants in a colander and squeeze them gently to extract any moisture, then chop very finely.12. Bring the cream to the boil in a small saucepan and simmer for a couple of minutes to reduce slightly.13. Stir in the cheese and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.14. Add the chopped eggplant and beat lightly to combine.15. Taste and adjust the seasonings as required.Remarks:As I had not hot Turkish red pepper sauce, I used "Sambal Oelek".If you don't have a gas stove, put the eggplants on a baking pan covered with parchment paper and bake them in the oven, at 250° C/480° F for about 40-50 minutes (turn them over after 25 minutes). You won't get quite the same smoky flavour, but the effect is reasonable.If you wish, you can thicken the eggplant puree by using cornstarch (mix 1 1/4 Tbs in cream before boiling).

Serving suggestions:To serve, spoon the eggplant purée into the centre of a warmed serving platter. Make a well in the centre of the purée and spoon in the lamb.Garnish with parsley and serve hot with a salad, Ekmek or Pide bread.

Wow...I love to see this very Turkish dish on your site Rosa and please continue to cook and share Turkish recipes... I believe you will find a lot of dishes which taste great just like "Hunkar Begendi."Iffet

Looks great! Its better to have a small cook book collection than a ferociously large one! I take cook books out of the library and if i like it ALOT i buy it, if i like it a little, i make some photo copies, if its stinks, i return it! these dishes look worth the purchase!

Wow Rosa, this is one of my favorite cuisine's too! Your friend was so lucky to enjoy a lunch like this with you! I am going to have to check the links to the other recipes too! The ice cream sounds especially good!

haha, glad you liked the idea! imagine having avid food bloggers from all over the world gather at different country each year for a world record international potluck. maybe we can hold it next to wherever the political G7 group hold its power meeting. our message will be spread peace and unity thru' food, not power and weapons. ok, my imagination is running wild. btw, switzerland is truly, truly blessed & gorgeous. i absolutely love it since the last time i was there!

There will always be a special place in my heart for Sultan's Delight. Many years ago, I prepared a "first" Thanksgiving dinner for a Turkish family I happened upon living in deplorable conditions in back of a gas station. I brought them home with me and cooked them a Thanksgiving meal. (a wish they expressed to me)

To my surprise, months later, when they got a better place to live, they shared how to make yogurt and Sultan's Delight.